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Topic: Agarest Wars 2..A thread about the game and NOT the fanservice this time....

Ooh, I'm glad someone bumped this. I Platinumed it a while ago and never really got to comment on it.

The battle system has an amazing amount of depth to it, once you figure out what everything actually means and does. It took me about 1.5 playthroughts to master everything.

It really is a shame that this series is always advertised based off its fanservice; the lore is incredible. It builds off of Agarest 1's and elaborates the why and how of everything. But, to be honest, I imagine the storyline later on would be quite confusing without having played the True Ending of Agarest 1, despite this being in an alternate universe.That said, the storyline is much more personal and the true ending feels a lot less powerful than Agarest 1's because of it.

It blew my mind that you were Chaos the entire time. I was expecting something similar,because the game tells you straight out during the second Generation, but even Weiss!The Second Generation hero is amazing. I mean it. He's such an asshole that I can't help but love him.

On the technical side, you have to actually let the game "warm up" so to speak. Once it's been on and loaded for about 10 minutes things speed up. It's honestly quite ridiculous. I have no idea why they didn't just add an install, considering how long it takes to load when you first start.

I had a lot of trouble getting through the first one. I just didn't like it. I heard they got better with time and that the 2nd one was actually pretty good, I just haven't gotten around to playing it yet. The concept is super interesting to me, it was the execution and the battle system that lost me.

I heard the battle system is somewhat different in number 2...is that true?

The battle system is both different and the same. I'd actually put it as more complex than Agarest 1 and Zero's, as there are more factors you must consider. In 1 and Zero end-game battles consist of knowing how to place yourself while staying within attack/link range of each other while also staying far enough away that not everyone is wiped out by AOE attacks. In 2 you have attack heights and types, wait times, SP (which not only is used in skills, but also for group attacks), as well as 1 and Zero's character placement and AP balance.

If you've played Cross Edge, you'll find it more similar to that. If you haven't, well. . .it uses the same AP style combos, breaks/shields, overkills, and so on, as earlier Agarest games, but rather than having a SRPG-style map, the map is instead split into two smaller grids that are used for enemy and character placement and determine AOE range. It's a bit hard to describe in words to someone who hasn't played it, especially because map nuances don't always become clear when you first play the game. I didn't understand a lot of it until quite some time in.

I tend to prefer the more traditional SRPG style of 1 and Zero myself, but the game overall in 2 is superior.

Yes, battle system is different in 2, it reminds me Valkyrie Profile battle system. I used autocombat in 95% of battles in 1 and 0 and I was doing other things meantime. Curiosity what happens next and what choise I will have drove me forward. Also, 0 is a bit better than 1, no random encounters in the "dungeons" and upgraded autocombat. But 0 has only 2 generations.

I can't even imagine using auto-battle in Zero and 1. It's so horribly, utterly inefficient, especially around the time you can use AOE every attack round (Gen 3/4 or so). I'd make the argument that with how slow the AI is at taking care of enemies, you're actually going to be moving at a faster pace using direct control.

I do agree with Zero and 2 having a better dungeon system. The frequent random encounters on 2's overworld were frustrating, though.

I stopped mid 2nd generation last year when Growlanser came out. Big mistake. Never finished Growlanser IV (nor do I really care to) but I also have yet to get back to Agarest 2 (which I was having a blast with). The game maybe grindy and unnervingly difficult at points but I really liked the mature nature of the cast and writing in contrast to the friendly inviting and bubbly nature of the visual and aesthetic of the game as a whole. They cleverly captured a unique "style" with this title that actually made it quite memorable.

Agarest 2 is leagues beyond 1 or 0. There is no comparison in my eyes. It is, IMO, compile heart's/iF's best effort this generation with one of the most rocking soundtracks I have heard in awhile.

The gameplay is nothing to scoff at either. I actually wish they would use a battle system like this with a more traditional RPG... that right there could prove a pretty successful recipe if you ask me.

I agree with you. The Agarest War 2 battle system looks more interesting. I don't think they can get the SRPG feel right putting all the fights on tiny grids like Agarest War 1. It's not like it's Heroes of Might and Magic.